Spiders and neural networks: how cyberbullying using pornographic deepfakes becomes a problem for teenagers

Russian teenagers may face the problem of cyberbullying with the help of pornographic deepfakes, experts have warned about this. According to a report by the Stanford Cyber Policy Center, the use of neural networks by teenagers to create pornographic images of their peers is becoming a serious problem in different countries of the world, and reliable mechanisms for its solution have not yet been created. Read the Izvestia article about why the problem of teenage cyberbullying with pornographic deepfakes is becoming more acute.

Why is the problem of teenage cyberbullying becoming more urgent?

According to the sociological study "Russian schoolchildren: about career, patriotism, bullying and cybersecurity in the new realities" conducted within the framework of the #MYSCHITEM project, one in five Russian schoolchildren was subjected to cyberbullying — aggression in the digital environment.

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In more than half of these cases, it manifested itself in the form of trolling and insults (54%). And every fourth victim faced extortion (26%) or the publication of "photoshopped" photos on social networks (23%). This problem is becoming more urgent as technology develops, Alexander Vurasko, Director of Development at the Solar AURA External Digital Threat Monitoring Center (Solar Group), says in an interview with Izvestia.

— If earlier it was necessary to work with graphic editors to create a fake pornographic image, now the neural network will generate the necessary photo or even video in just two clicks, — says the specialist. — Almost anyone can do something like this without any training.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Kirill Braga

A new report by the Stanford Cyber Policy Center (USA) also suggests that teenage cyberbullying using pornographic deepfakes is becoming a global problem. It notes that the use of neural networks by teenagers to create pornographic images of their peers is becoming a serious problem that neither schools, nor the police, nor the laws are ready for.

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What is the danger of cyberbullying using pornographic deepfakes?

Today, teenagers create completely different deepfakes to poison their peers, Pavel Kovalenko, director of the Anti-Fraud Center at Informzashita, says in an interview with Izvestia. If earlier gossip had no confirmation, today it is possible to create fake arguments, which will increase the pressure on the victim and may lead to irreparable consequences.

"Cases of teenage cyberbullying using pornographic deepfakes have probably been recorded in Russia, and their number will continue to grow," notes Alexander Vurasko.

Yakov Filevsky, an expert on sociotechnical testing at Angara Security, agrees that there is a similar danger for Russian teenagers. The specialist notes: This threat is related to the fact that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are equally accessible to Russians, despite sanctions and various restrictions. At the same time, cyberbullying using pornographic deepfakes is dangerous because teenagers react extremely sharply to such situations, says Alexander Vurasko.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Anna Selina

According to the expert, in an environment where an adult will only laugh and delete the image, a teenager can be driven to despair. In addition, the spread of such fakes can provoke mass harassment from peers. In some ways, this is similar to the phenomenon of sextortion, in which teenagers are blackmailed with real intimate videos or photos of them, threatening to distribute them if they refuse to perform any actions, explains Alexander Vurasko.

"The dissemination of such materials can lead to the exclusion of a person from society, since not everyone is able to distinguish deepfake from reality,— Pavel Kovalenko emphasizes. — It also leads to traumatization of the teenager and the formation of a hostile perception of the world around him.

How to protect yourself from cyberbullying using pornographic deepfakes?

In order to protect teenagers from various forms of cyberbullying, including the use of pornographic deepfakes, it is necessary to prevent this phenomenon from childhood, Pavel Kovalenko says in an interview with Izvestia. According to the expert, children should understand that their actions can ruin the lives of their peers.

— Another important vector is the dissemination of citizens' awareness of the possibilities of artificial intelligence, — says the specialist. — People need to understand what reality they live in, to be able to distinguish deepfakes from real content. This will definitely reduce the number of successful cybercrimes.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Konkov

According to Pavel Kovalenko, in order to distinguish a deepfake from a real photo or video, it is necessary to pay attention to details: a strange background, curvature of space, changing the shape of objects, unnatural movements of people and sounds. All this may indicate that this is a fake. It is almost impossible to completely protect yourself from the creation of deepfakes, notes Alexander Vurasko.

However, you can reduce the risks by being careful when posting personal information online, as well as posting fewer photos and videos that can be used to create deepfakes. As noted by Yakov Filevsky, when publishing photos in the public domain, it is important to carefully choose the pictures: the fact is that some of them, such as a photo in a swimsuit, are more pliable in terms of editing and editing to create dangerous content.

— It is impossible to completely protect yourself from deepfakes: image generation is already becoming the norm of modern digital life, and the only "absolute" protection is never to publish a single photo, — the expert emphasizes. — At the same time, it is worth relying on government agencies to protect your reputation, as this topic will definitely not be ignored by lawmakers.

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What should victims of cyberbullying with deepfakes do?

All situations related to cyberbullying are individual, says Yakov Filevsky in an interview with Izvestia. However, in any case, a teenager should know which adult he can turn to for unconditional help. The task of an adult is to listen and understand the situation, even if he does not understand it and it does not seem serious to him.

— If a teenager has already suffered from cyberbullying using pornographic deepfakes, first of all it is necessary to provide him with emotional safety and support, — says Ekaterina Edemskaya, an expert and an engineering analyst at Gazinformservice. — A child should feel that he is not being blamed, but protected.

Photo: Getty Images/Justin Paget

According to the expert, it is important to preserve the evidence — screenshots, links, user names — and contact the school administration and law enforcement agencies as soon as possible. It is also worth filing complaints about the platforms where the content was distributed, demanding that it be deleted and blocked.

"It is necessary to send an appeal to Roskomnadzor, the supervisory authority responsible for control and supervision in the field of telecommunications and information technology," advises Yakov Filevsky.

Contacting a lawyer will help assess the legal consequences and protect the interests of the victim, Ekaterina Edemskaya notes. Psychological help is critically important: even if a teenager is outwardly calm, inside he can experience extreme stress. Parents should be close, not rush to conclusions and remember: what the child needs now is not criticism, but confidence that he is not alone and the situation can be resolved, the expert concludes.